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Brent Hultman: Offender reentry program needs support

Posted:
02/23/2013 01:00:00 AM MST

The Feb. 17 Daily Camera featured an article on FOCUS (Facilitating Offenders Seeking Uplifting Situations), an offender reentry mentoring program with an 83 percent success rate. A third-party evaluation confirmed the effectiveness of the FOCUS program. The irony here is that federal funding cuts are now endangering our ability to maintain the program. Without additional financial help FOCUS is in jeopardy.

As president of FOCUS' parent organization, I feel a sense of urgency to extrapolate for Daily Camera readers how an 83 percent non-recidivist rate benefits Boulder County. When offenders to do not recidivate:

Tax-payers save $24,000 per offender per year. Thus, FOCUS' 83 percent success rate results in a savings of over $500,000 per year to our community. Those dollars can be redirected to other critical community needs.

Community safety is enhanced, thus contributing to the sense of well-being among all citizens.

Families are kept together and/or reunited. Children are not placed in foster care, thus further burdening an already over-stretched system, and again, placing the burden squarely on taxpayers. These tax savings are in addition to the $500,000 saved as a result of the lower recidivism rate.

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FOCUS accomplishes so much on a budget of under $120,000 per year: a return to the community of $4 for $1 invested. In other words, donating to FOCUS is a real, measureable, investment in Boulder County. The federal funding cut has stripped 25 percent of our budget just as we were prepared to expand and increase the program. We need a local hero. Or even better, sevaral heroes, if we are to survive.

Please donate today and know that by doing so you contribute to the welfare, safety and fiscal strength of your entire community. Whether you give from your heart or you give from your head, the FOCUS Offender Reentry Mentoring Program is a sound investment.

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